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Senate panel votes to classify private university police records as public

2015-03-17T20:40:09-05:00

Following violent incidents involving private university police officers, the Senate Criminal Justice Committee on Tuesday approved legislation that would classify those campus police records as public information. The committee voted 5-0 in favor of sending Senate Bill 308 by Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, to the full Senate. Robert Arnold, a reporter for KPRC-TV in Houston who reported on a videotaped beating of a man by Rice University police, testified on the bill. The 2013 beating was captured on a dash camera that Rice police refused to fully release to the public. The proposed legislation would make such records obtainable under the [...]

Senate panel votes to classify private university police records as public2015-03-17T20:40:09-05:00

The Monitor: Respecting Texas open meetings laws in the Rio Grande Valley

2015-03-17T14:15:06-05:00

Editorial Board The Monitor Originally published March 15, 2015 There’s a bit of irony, and perhaps coincidence, that a 16-month-old case regarding a violation of the state’s Open Meetings Act during a November 2013 Weslaco City Commission meeting was finally resolved last week, right before today’s start of Sunshine Week. The case, of course, involved former City Commissioner Joe Martinez, ex-Mayor Pro Tem John Cuellar and current Commissioners David Fox, Lupe Rivera and Jerry Tafolla, who on Thursday agreed to probation and fines for their part in closing the public meeting. The five will each serve up to two years of [...]

The Monitor: Respecting Texas open meetings laws in the Rio Grande Valley2015-03-17T14:15:06-05:00

Sunshine Week: Legislative spotlight on private email accounts, police records, news reporting

2015-03-16T13:49:20-05:00

By Kelley Shannon Executive Director Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas Private university police beat a man suspected of stealing a bicycle. The violent episode was captured on a dash camera, but when questions arose the police refused to release the complete video. City officials used their personal email accounts to discuss government business, just as Hillary Clinton did as secretary of state. When a citizen sought the local records, which are public under Texas law, city employees claimed their power was limited because they didn’t have custody of the documents. As matters of widespread public concern come to light – [...]

Sunshine Week: Legislative spotlight on private email accounts, police records, news reporting2015-03-16T13:49:20-05:00

Commissioners enter pretrial diversion program in Open Meetings Act case

2015-03-13T21:07:45-05:00

By Michael Rodriguez Valley Morning Star Originally published March 12, 2015 WESLACO — At least some semblance of finality in the Weslaco city commissioners’ Texas Open Meetings Act case was achieved on Thursday when the elected officials accused of violating the act agreed to enter a pretrial diversion program. The decision came at a pretrial hearing held inside Judge Bobby Flores’ 139th State District Court in Edinburg, where the defendants — former commissioner Joe Martinez and ex-Mayor Pro Tem John Cuellar, together with current commissioners David Fox, Lupe Rivera and Jerry Tafolla — agreed to the conditions of the program for [...]

Commissioners enter pretrial diversion program in Open Meetings Act case2015-03-13T21:07:45-05:00

Legislation would let officials refer information requesters to government websites

2015-03-11T20:15:43-05:00

Public officials could respond to information requesters by referring them to specific information on a government website in many cases under legislation presented in committee Wednesday by Rep. Kenneth Sheets, R-Dallas. In laying out House Bill 685, Sheets explained than an anticipated committee substitute for the bill will clarify that the referral to a website would have to include a URL link directly to the requested information. It would also provide for other types of responses to those who don't have Internet access or who need the records in other formats. Sheets contends the update to the Texas Public Information Act [...]

Legislation would let officials refer information requesters to government websites2015-03-11T20:15:43-05:00

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